Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount of their velvety milk went to Tinos to produce Tinos graviera, but since then the family has reduced their orders since demand for kopanisti has risen so much.

When you visit the Koukas “Mykonos Dairy Factory” at Palaiokastro, you’ll meet the soul of the place, Thodoris, a young man born and brought up on Mykonos. He’s a modest fellow with a cheese-making diploma from the well known school in Ioannina and his parents, Markos and Irini Koukas, are the pillars of the enterprise. In their new accredited cheese plant – where PDO Mykonos kopanisti is produced among other cheeses – you will get an idea of how the ‘new’ enters the modern era while rooted firmly in tradition.

Posts about Mykonos

The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more

In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi.
The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more

My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals.
The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more

Mostra
Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes.
While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more

Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more

One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades.
On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
Traditionally,... Read more